It will be interesting to see whether or not the leaders of Virginia's colleges and universities have the spine to tell Ken Cuccinelli to put his directive letter where the sun doesn't shine. For some, deleting the non-discrimination policy as demanded by religious lunatic Cuccinelli will have a potentially dire impact in terms of recruitment, not to mention potential alumni contributions. Indeed, if the University of Virginia knuckles under I will join a fellow UVA Law alumni and cease all contributions to the university. Let Cuccinelli sue the University and bring a fire storm down upon himself. The public colleges and universities need to make it clear that they will protect the U.S. Constitutional rights of gay citizens even if Cuccinelli will not. Cucinnelli clearly forgets that the U.S. Constitution trumps the Virginia General Assembly AND the Virginia Constitution - It also trumps Cuccinelli's religious based bigotry -as does the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson must be rolling over in his grave (pictured at right). Here's the comment left on the Daily Progress by a fellow UVA alumni:*
The pettiness and spitefulness of Virginia’s AG is astounding. And the spinelessness of UVa officials in their initial response to this letter unfortunately is all too predictable. I have already been discouraged from contributing more to my alma mater than I’d otherwise give, as a result of the antediluvian policies recently propounded by the leaders of my former Commonwealth, but the AG’s churlishness, on top of the governor’s recent announcement, takes the cake. The University and the Law School should expect no more contributions from me (so sue me, UVa, for reneging on my pledge) unless and until the University acquires the guts to challenge these bigots and their policies in Richmond and in the public eye.
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It is also noteworthy that Cuccinelli is utterly ignoring Virginia's Statute for Religious Freedom that was drafted by Thomas Jefferson. It's still the law and the preamble drafted by Jefferson well describes the evils of individuals like Cuccinelli. Here are highlights:
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Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens, or by civil incapacitations tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, who being Lord, both of body and mind yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to do, that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world and through all time; . . .
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the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence, by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages, to which, in common with his fellow citizens, he has a natural right, that it tends only to corrupt the principles of that very Religion it is meant to encourage, by bribing with a monopoly of worldly honours and emoluments those who will externally profess and conform to it; that though indeed, these are criminal who do not withstand such temptation,
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Be it enacted by General Assembly that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.
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if any act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the present or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement of natural right.
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Can Cuccinelli be impeached for violating the state's statutes? U.S. Constitutional protections afforded citizens? It's an interesting question that, if we are lucky, Mr. Cuccinelli will need to face some time soon.
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Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens, or by civil incapacitations tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, who being Lord, both of body and mind yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to do, that the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world and through all time; . . .
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the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence, by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages, to which, in common with his fellow citizens, he has a natural right, that it tends only to corrupt the principles of that very Religion it is meant to encourage, by bribing with a monopoly of worldly honours and emoluments those who will externally profess and conform to it; that though indeed, these are criminal who do not withstand such temptation,
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Be it enacted by General Assembly that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.
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if any act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the present or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement of natural right.
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Can Cuccinelli be impeached for violating the state's statutes? U.S. Constitutional protections afforded citizens? It's an interesting question that, if we are lucky, Mr. Cuccinelli will need to face some time soon.
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